State Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne tells 101.7 / 710 KEEL's Robert J Wright and Erin McCarty that threats by the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus to walk out of the special session called by Governor John bel Edwards won't derail lawmakers attempts to solve the state's billion dollar shortfall.

Members of the black lawmakers group are saying that they won't back a quarter penny sales tax, which was passed by the House Ways and Means committee earlier this week, unless there is also an increase in the state income tax.

Dardenne also says the Governor is holding firm to his claim that any "revenue enhancements" that may come out of this special session will not only be revenue neutral, but "less than revenue neutral." He says the Governor "has asked for $994 million to replace what the financial folks agree is about $1.3 billion rolling off." The state's temporary one penny sales tax expires on July 1.